Clutch mechanism.



L. A. MAURER.

CLUTCH MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED DBO,15, 1911.

1,032,759. Patented Ju1y16,1912.

time:

LOUIS A. MAURER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

GLUTCH MECHANIEM. 7

Specification of Eetters Patent.

Application filed December 15, 1911. Serial No. 665,987.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that 1, Louis A. MAURER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Newark; in the county of Essex and State of Newdersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutch Mechanisms; and I do hereby declare the follow ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invent-ion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved clutch mechanism, and is designed to provide a clutch that is noiseless in its operation, is prompt in its response to its operat ing. mechanism, and it provides for the engagement between the parts thatare adapted to be operatively connected so that this engagement takes place without shock.-

The invent-ion comprises a shaft with a distorted portion, that is, a portion that-is not round, and onthis distorted portion are arranged two bushings or similar split elements which are forced apart when slightly rotated on the distorted portion of the shaft, and when they are thus spread they are forced into recesses in the pulley so that the whole device is rotated together, it being understood that other rotating elements can be used with the clutch. instead of a pulley.

The invent-ion also consists of a stop mechanism which is engaged by the split bushin of the device so that this bushing is stoppe and the recessed portion of the pulley into which the bushing was seated then acts with a cam action to force the halves together on the distorted portion of the shaft, and the pulley is then disconnected from the shaft and again idly rotates. The stop device is used as a starting mechanism also.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional view of the device with the stop piece shown in elevation.

"Fig. 2 is a section on line 2, 2, in Fig.1

showing the mechanism in the position in which it is when the parts are disconnected, that is, when the pulley is running idle. Fig. 3 is a view similar to "Fig. 2, but showing the bushing turned on the distorted portion of the shaftso as to spread the parts of the bushing. into engagement with the pulley.- Fig. t is a detail view showing the starting and stopping mechanism.

Patentedduly 16, 1912 The shaft 10, which inay be the shaft of i any mechanism which it is adapted to opcrate, such as for instance a power press, has a distorted portion which is preferably made elliptical as at 11, although I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself-to an elliptical outline in cross section. For the purposes, however, of this specification and claims, the distorted portion willbe called the elliptical port-ion having a long and a short axis. A split bushing surrounds the distorted or elliptical portion of the shaft, the split bushing consisting of two members 12 and 13 which are formed on the inside to fit the elliptical port-ion of the shaft as shown in Fig. 2, this permitting the two members 12 and 13 of the split bushing to closely embrace the elliptical portion 11 and rest tightly ngainst the shaft.

I prefer to provide the members 12 and 13 with the flanges 1-1 and 15 which overlap and insure the registration of the members 12 and 13 even when they are separated as shown in Fig. 3. The exterior of the split bushings is preferably made round, the split bushing fitting in a recess in the pulley 16, the recess being provided with portions as 17 which are eccentric to the outside of the split bushing when the split bushing is in its closed position. These eccentrically recessed portions form seats. into which the split bushing members are'forced by the elliptical portion of the shaft. The split bushings are provided with an operative connection with a collar 18, the operative connection that is illustrated being the pins 19 which project into the slot 20' of the collar 18. On the collar 18 is a finger 21 which is engaged by a trigger '22, which trigger is normally held back by'a spring 23 against a pin 24 and is pulled against theactlon of the spring by a suit-able connection '25 which is operated from a hand lever, treadle or any other means for manipulating it. The trigger is,

mounted to swing on a suitable pin 26 fee-.-

tened to the machine frame or other; sup? port 27.

The operation of the device is as follows z-Assuming that this machine is at rest, and the pulley 16 is operated by a belt and thus idly runs 'on the shaft 10, it is desired to start the machine for one revolution of the shaft 10, the trigger22 is pulled for-..

ward in the direction of the arrow a in Fig. l by means of the connection 25. The trig ger t-hus pushes the finger 21 in the direction of the arrow shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, the shaft being at rest. The elliptical inner faces of the split bushing members are swung toward the long axis of the elliptical portion of the shaft and are-spread, that is, they are forced apart and then moved in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the pulley 16 which is indicated by the arrow 8 in Fi 3, and are quickly seated in the opposed recesses 17 of she pulley. The two members-12 and 13 thus act as keys in these recesses and are rotated with the pulley, and, by their contact with the elliptical portion of the shaft, take the shaft with them and all the elements are rotating together. In the meantime the trigger 2-2 has snapped back against the pin 22 i, and when the linger 21 has made one revolution,

- it strikes the trigger 22 and thus Sl/OPS the collar 18 which, through the operative connection with the members 12 and 13, halts the members. The pulley continues to retate, and the recesses 17 being eccentric and also the projections 28 where the recesses merge, have a cam action tending to squeeze the members 12 and 13 toward each other, the members thus being forced back to the position shown in Fl 2, around the dirtorted or elliptical portion of the shaft, these members when thus forced together also acting as a brake and halting the shaftin the position it was when itwas started, that is, all the parts are in normal position shown in l? 2.

I prefer to insure the closing of the members 12 and 13 by embracing them with pair of springs 29 which can placed in grooves in the members as shown in 1. 'lhese springs are in the shape of split rings, but other means for forcing the members together can be employed.

The preferred form of pulley comprises a long hub 30 which fits over the shaftand rota-cs freely thereon and has the overhang i portion 31 which is recessed to receive 1" members 12 and 1-5, as Will be evident from 1. The long hub steadies the il he pulley on the shaft and insures the registration of the pulley with the members 12 and 13.

lo ing thus described my invention, what 1 claim is l. A. rim 1:. mechanism comprising :1. shaft having a distorted portion thereon, :1 split bushing on. the distorted portion and rot: tably arranged thereon, a rotating element on the shnft und having recesses into which the members of the split bushing are adapted to be orced when the split bushing is partially rotated, and means for rotating the pulle and menus for engaging the split busl s to stop them, the walls of the reces of the pulley acting to force the memb L; towurd each other when they are halted.

3. A clutch mechanism coniprising a. shaft with an elliptical portion thereon, a pulley having eccentric recesses therein. surrounding the elliptical portion of the shaft, the split bushings on the elliptical portion of the shaft having their inner faces adapted to engage the elliptical portion of the shaft, and having their outer faces normally out of contact with the recesses of the pulley but being adapted to be seated in said recesses when the members are partiallyrd tutcd on the elliptical portion of the shaft, means for rotating the members to cause them to be spread by the elliptical portioh of the shaft, and means for stopping the split bushings in their rotation, the walls of the recesses acting to force the members toward each other when they are halt-ed, the inner faces of the members when pressed together acting to lock the shaft againstr0- tation.

l. A clutch mechanism comprising a shaft having an elliptical portion thereon, a pair of members forming a splitbushing, the members having overlapping flanges to insure the rotation of the members when they are slightly separated, a pulley mounted to rotate on the shaft having recesses into which the outer faces of the members are adapted to be seated to lock the pulley to the shaft to insure their rotation together, means for rotating the members in a direction opposite to the direction of the rotation of the pulley, and a stop adapted to halt the members whenrotated by the pulley whereby the continued rotation of the pulley causes the walls of its recesses to force the members toward each other and out of en gagement with the pulley.

5. A clutch mechanism comprising a shaft having an elliptical portion, a pair of members with their elliptical inner faces adapted to fit. the elliptical portion of. the shaft, the members being separable and having over lapping flanges to insure their rotating together when slightly separated, a pulley rotating on the shaft, the pulley having re cesscs surrounding the members and into which the members can be seated, the mem hers bemg forced mto the re when 5211(1 members are rotated on he. shaft, :1,

xeolhu, a finger 011 the collar, an operative eenneetien between the eelhu' and the members, a trigger, means i nermaiiy l'lelding the trigger in normal position, a stop for the trigger, and means for operating the trigger be move the finger whereby the collar and the members are turned in a direct-ion T have hereunte set my hand this 14th day of I.)ecen1ber, 1911.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing,

LOUIS A. MAURICE.

Witmzsses v CHARLES Emcsox, ALLAN Om).

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of 'Patents, Washington, D. C. 

